Railroad-track



(No Model.)

- T. C. CARROLL.

. RAILROAD TRACK. No. 300,306. Patented June 10, 1884.

N. PETERS. Phulo-hIhognph-n wnhn xm 11c IIN'TTED STATES FATENT Orrrcn.

TI'IOMAS CHRISTIE CARROLL, OF WEST PLAIXS, MISSOURI.

RAILROAD-TRACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,306, dated June 10, 188d.

Application filed January 4, 188 1.

550 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS (J. CARROLL, of \Vest Plains, in the county of Howell and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ItailrOadTrackS; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan view of a portion of the main track and siding-track of a railroad, showing my improved switch, the latter being adjusted for the main track. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same parts, showing the switch adjusted for the siding-track. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section through Fig. 1, taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line a- My invention relates to improvements on what are known as springrail switches and it consists in a certain novel construction of railroad-track, as will be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings.

A designates the stationary main-track rails, and I; the stationary sidetracl; rails, which rails may be of the well-known T shape, and they may be spiked down to their cross-ties in the usual manner.

A 'A" designate thelatcrally-movable spri ng sect-iousof the ll12li11-hf2101 and siding rails, and .5 3'' are the laterally-movable spring switchrails. The generalarrangement ofall the rails is substantially like that of rails now in use at the junction of a side track with a main track. At a a. the ends of the switch-rails B B are immovably secured to the cross-t-ies D, and at I) b these rails are laterally movable, and are pivoted or loosely attached to an intermediate block, 0, leaving a space between them for allowing a free passage of the wheel-flanges.

One of the switch-rails B is designed to form part of a crossing for the sidetracl; rails, and the other switch-rail B forms partof a crossing for the main track when adjusted in line therewith.

It will be observed that the ends Z) b of the switclrrails B and also the ends of the main: track sections A" A arelaterally movable.

E designates a rod or cross-tie, which is pivoted or otherwise loosely attached to the base of the main-track sections A? A at their free ends, and E" is a rod which is pivoted or otherwise attached. to the base of the block 0.

(No model.)

To the outer ends of the cross-tie E and rod E connecting-rods (Z d are hinged, which latter are connected to the cranked ends of an oscillating shaft, G, having its bearings on extensions of three cross-ties. On the intermediate crosstie is substantially secured a frame, II, of a segmental form, in which the shaft G also has a bearing. From this shaft G radiate at right angles to each other two rods, g g, bearing on their outer ends prominent signals it 11/, one of which indicates the rails A 13 set for the main track, and the other indicates when the switch is adjusted for the side track. Thus, when the switch is adjusted for the side track, the signal h will be prominently exposed to view, and when the switch is adjusted for the main track the signal 71. will be erected.

It will be observed that the free ends of the maiirtrack-rail sections A A" and the free ends of the switch-rails B B are moved simultaneously by adjusting the signals h it. The said movable rails are safely held in the desired position by means of a pin, '13, or other suitable fastening applied to the frame II.

By my invention I avoid the uncertainty and cost of frogs and guardrails, and make a positively safe switch.

I am aware that railroad-switches have been constructed with spring-rail sections, and such devices I do not broadly claim Having described my invent-ion,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

The combination, with the stationary maintraclc and siding rails, of the springing switch-sections 15* B", connected to a block, 0, the rod E, pivoted or otherwise loosely connected to this block, the springing rail-sections A A, the rod E, pivoted or otherwise loosely connected to these sections, the signalarms connected to crank-shaft- G, and the rods d, connecting the rods E E to said shaft, all constructed and adapted to operate substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CHRISTIE CARROLL.

\Vitnesses.

XV. K. DAVIS, D. A. Hrrssnr. 

